Boys Find 13,000 Year Old Mastodon Bone Along Michigan Stream

Dec 15, 2012

A Michigan boy and his cousin will go down in Macomb County’s artifact history after discovering an American Mastodon bone near 24 Mile and Dequindre roads. It’s nearly every young, adventurous boy’s dream to stumble upon prehistoric artifacts while playing in their backyard.

Artist's depiction of a Mastodon.

Artist’s depiction of a Mastodon.

For an 11-year-old Shelby Township boy, Eric Stamatin and his cousin Andrew Gainariu, 11, that dream came true this summer. On a warm June day, the boys were hoping to find crayfish while exploring a stream about a quarter of a mile from Stamatin’s house on 24 Mile and Dequindre roads. Instead, they stubmled upon an American Mastodon bone.

“At first it just looked like a rock but it had a hole in it so we thought maybe it was a bone,” said Stamatin.

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